EDITORIAL: Closing gun records sets terrible precedent

5:02 PM,
Apr. 3, 2013

Written by

The Daily News Journal

Legislation that would close public access to gun carry permit records threatens to put Tennessee on a slippery slope toward state secrecy.

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the measure Tuesday, sending it to the Senate floor after its companion bill passed the House 84-10 in March.

State lawmakers appear to be acting in revenge to the posting of Tennessee's conceal-carry permit listing on newspaper web sites. Yet even though The Daily News Journal has no plans to publish such a listing, we believe these public records should remain open for anyone to review. ...